Nigerian Landlords Converting Houses Into Worship Centres, Clubs Lands In Trouble
The Lagos State Government says it has issued a final 30-day notice to owners and occupants of structures that have been converted without approval into churches, mosques, clubhouses, lounges, and bars in residential zones.
The notice was issued by the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Arc. Gbolahan Oki.
The directive also applies to any structures used as clubs, bars or places of worship in residential neighbourhoods without the necessary licences from the appropriate authorities.
Oki stressed that property owners, who transformed residential buildings to churches, mosques, bars, lounges, or clubs, did so without necessary approvals and must evacuate occupants within the 30-day final notice period.
“The Lagos State Government has served owners and occupants of residential structures that have been unlawfully transformed to churches, mosques, clubhouses, lounges and bars throughout the state with a 30-day ultimatum to return the facility to its original use.
“Building owners in residential areas who have converted their buildings to churches, mosques, clubs, bars or lounges without the necessary approvals should evict the occupants before the 30-day final notice expires, as the state will not provide further notice of sealing but will instead require the outright removal of such non-conforming buildings at the owners’ expense,” the statement read in part.
Oki urged property owners to take the notice seriously, saying that nobody would be spared in the effort to sanitise the state in line with the Africa’s model mega city status vision of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
